Laminate cartridge

Abstract

An overcoat application apparatus is used to transfer an overcoat material from a donor support to a printed media. The overcoat application apparatus in this case includes a laminate cartridge, a donor supply reel, a donor guide bar, a heated fuser roller, a pressure roller, a peel bar, and a take-up reel. The donor supply reel provides a continuous source of donor plus overcoat material. The donor guide bar guides printed media and the donor plus overcoat into a nip created by forcing the heated fuser roller and pressure roller together. The heated fuser roller is used to transport the printed media and donor through the nip and apply heat to the donor and printed media. The pressure roller is used to apply pressure to the fuser roller in order to produce the mechanical nip. The nip plus the heat causes the overcoat material on the donor to be transferred to the printed media. After the fusing process, the peel bar is used to separate the support layer of the laminate carrying donor from the printed media that is now coated with the overcoat material. The laminate cartridge has two spool holders, the first spool holder supports a spool of the laminate carrying donor material and the second spool holder supports a spool of the substrate after the overcoat material is used.

1. An overcoat application apparatus for applying a laminate overcoat to a print media, the apparatus including a cartridge holder having a laminator cartridge-receiving slot and comprising:
 a) a laminate cartridge comprising a housing including a donor core having one or more teeth engaging the cartridge-receiving slot of the cartridge holder such that when the core is raised in the slot, the core is disengaged from the cartridge holder;  
 b) a spool of laminate carrying donor, comprising a donor layer and an overcoat layer, wound on the donor core;  
 c) an entry roller for accepting printed media from a printer;  
 d) a guide bar that guides the laminate carrying donor into a nip formed by a heated fuser roller and a pressure roller;  
 e) one of the heated fuser roller and the pressure roller being rotated to transport the printed media and the laminate carrying donor through the nip and the heated fuser roller applying heat to the laminate carrying donor and the printed media to laminate the overcoat layer to the print media to provide an overcoated print media;  
 f) a peel bar positioned to separate the donor layer of the laminate carrying donor from the overcoat layer laminated to the printed media;  
 g) an exit roller which accepts the overcoated printed media and transports it from the overcoat application apparatus; and  
 h) a take-up spool that collects the donor layer.  
 
   
   
     2. The laminate cartridge of  claim 1  wherein the one or more teeth on the donor core engageable with the cartridge-receiving slot of the cartridge holder do not protrude beyond the perimeter of the donor core. 
   
   
     3. The overcoat application apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a guide bar supported by the housing such that the guide bar is capable of guiding the laminate carrying donor as it moves from the housing. 
   
   
     4. The laminate cartridge of  claim 3  further comprising a handle attached to the housing. 
   
   
     5. The overcoat application apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a second housing supporting a second core and the donor layer is wound on the second core forming the take-up spool. 
   
   
     6. The overcoat application apparatus according to  claim 5  further comprising a second guide bar supported by the second housing such that the second guide bar is capable of guiding the donor layer toward the second housing. 
   
   
     7. The overcoat application apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a second handle attached to the second housing. 
   
   
     8. The overcoat application apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a one or more teeth on the second core that cooperate with a tooth repository associated with a second laminator cartridge-receiving slot in the cartridge holder such that the tooth repository engages the teeth on the second core when the second core is inserted into the second laminator cartridge-receiving slot.